Educator May Rise Again In Byrd`s Regime

March 26, 1985|By Casey Banas, Education writer.

Standing alone in a corner at Young Magnet High School Monday, hidden by bleachers from the 500 school administrators listening to the inaugural speech of School Supt. Manford Byrd Jr., was an educator who has experienced a parallel rise to power and sudden fall.

For years, the two men were often rivals in the school hierarchy, with both frequently viewed as anointed future leaders of the Chicago public schools. Now, some observers wonder whether they will reunite as a one-two punch to run the troubled system.

Their story began at a press conference June 28, 1967, when then-School Supt. James Redmond introduced Byrd and James Moffat as his special assistants.

The recently appointed Redmond was under pressure to show his leadership team, and he plucked two principals--Byrd from Englewood High and Moffat from LeMoyne Elementary--from relative obscurity to become new blood in his fledgling administration.

A year later, Redmond named Byrd deputy superintendent of day-to-day operations and Moffat assistant superintendent for government-funded programs, a powerful position because federal funds to schools were growing.

Moffat built an internal organization, and when Joseph Hannon became superintendent in 1975, Moffat emerged as second in command. Byrd played a key role in curriculum.

But after Hannon left in 1980, the school board demoted Moffat and named him principal of Kelvyn Park High School, where he has served since. Board members involved in the decision and Moffat still refuse to comment on the reason.

When Ruth Love became superintendent in 1981, Byrd was banished to an outsider`s role.

On Monday, while Byrd outlined his plans, Moffat buried the hatchet and praised the new superintendent.

``This system has not in 50 years had one of its own,`` Moffat said, emphasizing that Byrd represents the first Chicago superintendent in a half-century to have risen through the ranks as teacher, principal and

administrator.

``He was a calm influence in troubled times,`` Moffat said. ``I am highly volatile and explosive. He has always been the epitome of decorum.``

Later, Byrd said Moffat ``possesses strong administrative skills. He has a lot of energy for a task and once he is assigned to that, as I have known him in the past, he has carried out that responsibility.``

As for whether the two will link up, Moffat said, ``I have always done in the system what I have been asked to do.``

Said Byrd: ``We`ll just have to let time unfold and see what recommendations will be forthcoming.``